The Osceola times., 1887-09-24

, St"'V' 4" WinuoW curtain was
up, and Icould see that the sky had
thickened up and was very black. did
not wait for the noise TO be repeated.
was just as sure that some one was
IN the store as though | had already
seen him, and ! crept softly out of bed,
drew ON my trousers aud moved ont
into the big room, having the revolver
in my hand. There was no door at the
head of the stairs. l intended to 90
there and listen down the stairway. As
was moving across the room, which
was then pretty clear Of goods as far AZ
the trap-door, | suddenly recollected
this opening and changed my course to
reach 1t. 1t was terribly dark in the
room, and one unfamiliar with the
place would not have dared to move
foot Halfway to the trap | got down
on my hands and knees, and as |
reached the opening, l settled down on
my stomach. There was dim light
downstairs. That settled the fact that
some one was in the store. After a
minute heard whispers, then the
movement Of feet, then a certain sound.
which located the intruders to foot.
They were at the safe in the front of
the store. l drew myself forward and
looked down the opening. could see
lighted candle and two or three dark
hgures at the safe, and could hear the
combination being worked. Ny first
thought was to drop my hand down
and open nre in their direction, but !
remembered that we had SO many
articles hanging up that no bullet had
any chance of reaching the safe. / was
wondering what TO do when ! heard
one of the men whisper:
"it's all blamed nonsense. We might
work here a week and not hit it,"
But | told you to bring the tool.
and you would not"
"Oh. dry up" protested another.
what we want to do is TO go up and
bring that counter-hopper down and
make him open the box"
"1'll give the cussed thing few
more trials" said the first man, and
heard him working away again. Ny
eyes could not have told me the num-
Der of robbers, but my ears had.
There were three Of them. and they
were no doubt desperate and deter
mined men. They spoke of bringing me
down and opening the safe as if no re-
sistance was anticipated or taken into
account. Indeed. they might well rea-
son that they had me at their mercy.
The rain was now falling, the night
was very dark. and pistol shot could
not be heard in either of the dwellings,.
II they had reflected that ! might I've
armed they would have offset it with
the fact that was a boy of eighteen.
with girls face and probably girls
nerve.
don't deny that was a bit ratified.
and that my lip would quiver in spite
of me, but was at the same time fully
determined. To get at the fellows was
what bothered me. but that trouble was
soon solved. There whispered the
man at the combination, as he let 60
of it. IL won't fool here another min
ute That kid knows the combination,
and we can make him work it. Come
on" They were coming upstairs. The
best place for me would be right at the
head of the stairway. The stairs had
a half turn in them. and ] would fire
upon the first man who came within
range. heard the men coming back
to the stairway and my nerve gave
way IL was not from cowardiee, but
the knowledge that was to kill hui
man being upset me. decided to re-
treat 10 my room. and if they persisted
in coming that far would shoot. The
trio had rubbers on their feet, but they
came upstairs without trying very hard
to prevent making a noise. The one
who came first had the candle, and as
he got to the head of the stairs / saw
a knife in his other hand They made
no delay in approaching my room. and
with n great effort braced myself for
what | saw must happen. They could
not see me until within three or four
feet Of the door, and their first intima-
ton that | was out of bed was when
they heard me call out: "Stop, or Iii
shoot"
had them covered with the weapon.
and for fifteen seconds there was dead
silence. Then they got a plan. The
man with the candle dashed it on the
floor, and as supposed they meant to
rush in on me in the dark, but | check
mated it BY opening fire. They then
either meant to retreat downstairs or
toward the rear floor, for | saw the
three together moving OFF and fired at
their dim figures. Three seconds later
there was great shont Of borrow, fol-
lowed by the tremendous report of the
double-barreled spring gun, and then
there was absolute silence. l think i
stood in the door shaking like u leaf
for fully three minutes before the sic
leuce was broken by groan. Then it
came to me that the robbers had fallen
through the open door upon the cord
leading TO the gun. ] struck match,
lighted my own candle, and. going to
the opening | saw three bodies lying
below. Running back TO the bedroom
to rechargc my revolver ] then went
down stairs to investigate. 1t was as
suspected. The three had pitched
down together. The top of ones head
had been blown of by the shot, see
aud -hnd n hnle In his chest as hi0 as